Differential indicator and electrical alarm attachment.



Patented NOV. 5, I9UI. J. G. JONES &. H. G. &. E. G. SHORTT.

DIFFERENTIAL INDICATOR AND ELECTRICAL ALARM ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.

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Patented Nov. 5, l90l. .l. a. JONES & H. a. & E. a. SHORTT. DIFFERENTIAL INDICATOR AND ELECTRICAL ALARM ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. JONES, HOT/VARD G. SHORTT, AND EDWARD G. SI-IORTT, OF

OARTI'IAGE, NEW YORK.

DIFFERENTIAL INDICATOR AND ELECTRICAL ALARM ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,150, dated November 5, 1901.

Application filed March 11, 1901. Serial No. 50,630. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN G. JONEs, HOW- ARDG. SH'ORTT, and EDWARD G. SHORTT, citi- 'zens oi the United States, residing at Oarthage, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential Indicators and Electric Alarm Attachments; and we do declare the following tobe afull, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawi'ngs, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gages, and especially to a differential indicator and electric alarm attachment whereby when the water or other liquid in the boilers, tanks, vats, or vessels lowers to the danger-point an electric alarm will be sounded.

More specifically, the invention consists in aliquid-gage having a float, the stem of which may be of any desired length and extending through a hermetically-sealed pipe provided at intervals with transparent disks, whereby the quantity of water or other liquid in the boilers, tanks, or vats may be indicated at difierent locations below or above the boilers, tanks, or vats as may be desired.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an electric attachment whereby as the water or other liquid in the boilers, tanks, or vats lowers to the danger-point the stem of the float will contact with anddepress or raise a lever, which will close an electric circuit and cause an alarm to sound at any desired location, the circuit being adapted to be broken when the water or other liquid in the column rises, lifting the float-stem from the counterbalanced lever.

Our invention will be more fully described hereinafter and is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form part of this application, and in which drawings.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through our differential water-gage. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the gage, showing the electric circuit opening and closing attachment. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the electric attachment on line B B of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line a a of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the water-column, and D is a float to which a stem 0 is attached. In the lower end of the water-column a union D is screwed, the upper end of which forms a seat for the beveled valve 0', formed by a shouldered portion of the stem adjacent to said float. The stem 0 passes through said union and through a pipe E, to which latter is connected the indicatortube F, into which water passes from the water-tube A and which is provided at diiierent locations of its length with transparent disks G, whereby the height of the water or other liquid may be indicated at different points at the same time. To the lower end of said stem is connected an indicator H, which is centrally and longitudinally apertured to receive a threaded rod H, which passes through said apertures and with its threaded end engaging in a threaded hole in the bottom of said indicator. The lower end of said rod has a head on which the bottom of the indicator rests. This indicator may be differently colored, if desired, so that a distinct color will appear at each sight-aperture or transparent disk, so that a person may readily see at aglance one or the other color at the sight-apertures, each color adapted to indicate at a particular sight-aperture water at a certain height in the water-tube.

The indicator-tube F is provided with the usual expansion-joint K and the water-column pipe connections having the automatic ball-valves, which shut 0E water or other liquid from the column or indicator-tube in the Water-glass L,which communicates at its ends with the water-column. In case of breakage of any of the transparent disks the stem which is held in the hermetically-sealed indicator tube and pipe will drop and the valve C will seat on the upper end of said union, and the escape of water or other liquid from the column will be prevented,and at the same time the disk may be readily replaced without inconvenience.

The lower end of the indicator-tube has a projecting or enlarged chamber M, having a threaded aperture M therein in which an exteriorly-threaded plug N is held. This plug has an integral wrench-engaging portion N, whereby the plug may be secured to or removed from the threaded aperture in said enlarged chamber. This plug is centrally apertured to receive the rounded shank portion of the rocking lever O, which is suitably packed therein, being allowed to turn freely therein. About the circumference of the outer end of said plug are threads to receive the nut N, which cooperates with the nut N mounted on the outer threaded end of the shank of lever O to hold the two insulating-rings N against the collar N which carries the contact-arm P and which rests on shoulders on the inner faces of said insulating-rings. Said lever O at a location adjacent to the inner end of the plug N and within said enlarged chamber is bent at right angles to the shank portion passing through the plug, and its free inner end is flattened, as at O, and positioned directly underneath and in the path of the indicator H, whereby as the lower end of said indicator comes in contact with and rests its weight upon said flattened portion the inner end of the lever will tilt down, the shank portion of same making a partial revolution within the plug N. As the collar N and insulating-rings N are clamped between the nuts N and N they will also rotate with said shank portion. Integral with the collar N is a counterbalanced circuit-closing arm P, one end of which is weighted, as at P, while its other end is designed to be held over the contact-points Q. These contact-points Q are mounted on a pin R, whichis held by the wall of the indicator-tube and suitably insulated from said pin. Collars S, provided with binding-posts, are also supported by said pin R, also insulated from all contacting surfaces, excepting contact being had between each collar and one of the contact-points, the circnit being closed by the free end of the closer P as the latter is depressed by the stem of the float when the water or other liquid in the boilers, tanks, or vats lowers to a dangerpoint, said closer coming in contact with the upper ends of the contact-points. To said binding-posts are connected the wires T and T, one of which may be connected to a bat- (Not shown.)

tery and the other to a bell.

In operation when the boilers, tanks, or vats contain water or other liquid above the danger-point, or vice versa, the circuit will be broken by the weighted end of the circuitcloser holding the opposite end of the closer out of contact with the contact-points. This is the normal position of the parts when there is a sufficient quantity of water or other liquid in the boilers, tanks, or vats. IVhen the water or other liquid lowers to the dangerpoint, the lower or upper end of the stem of the float will come into contact with the free end of the lever at the lower or upper end of the indicator-tube, and the float and its stem being heavier than the weighted end of the closer the latter will be caused to rock upon its axis and the free end of the closer will be thrown against said contact-points, thus closing the circuit and causing an alarm to be sounded. When the water or other liquid is replenished in the boilers, tanks, or vats, the float will rise, and the weight of the float being relieved from the closer the latter will under the influence of its weighted end resume its normal position and the circuit will be broken.

Having thus described our invention,what we claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A differential watergage and electric alarm attachment, consisting of a water-column, a float therein, an indicator-tube, a stem to said float passing through said indi cator-tube, indicators of different colors secured to said stem, transparent sight-apertures at different locations in said tube, and means for sounding an alarm when the water lowers to a danger-point, as set forth.

2. A differential gage for water or other liquid, and electric alarm attachment, consisting of a water-column, a float therein, an indicatortube and pipe connections with said water-column, a stem secured to said float and passing through said pipe and indicator-tube, an indicator consisting of one or more colored signals or targets, secured to the lower end of said stem, transparent disks in said indicator-tube at different locations, an electric circuit-closer and lever disposed in the path of said indicator or stem, whereby as the float lowers and the indicator con tacts with said lever, the circuit will close and sound an alarm, as set forth.

3. In combination with the water-column, the indicator-tube, the float and stem, a counterbalanced closer and rocking pin on which it is mounted, said pin being journaled in the wall of the indicator-tube, a lever integral with the inner end of said pin, the free end of said lever being located underneath the stem,whereby as said stem lowers against the lever, the latter will be caused to tilt and the closer to close an electric circuit, as set forth.

4. In combination with a water-column,the indicator-tube, the float in the water-column,

Ito

the stem secured to said float, the lower end 1 binding-posts mounted on the stud and inof said tube having an extended chamber, sulated, as shown and described. an apertured bushing mounted therein, a In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our stem journaled With suitable packing in said signatures in presence of two witnesses. bushin a lever inte ral with the inner end a of said stem and havi ng its free end disposed JOHN HOWARD G. SIIORTT. undeineath sa1d fioat-sten1, a counteibal- EDWARD G SHORTT anced circuit-closer rocking with said leverstem, a stud secured to the wall of the indi- Witnesses: cater-chamber, contact-points mounted on F. E. SHORTT, said stud and suitably insulated, collars with A. F. MILLS. 

